US Visa Renewal Philippines - How to Renew a US Visa in the Philippines? (2023)

If you had a US nonimmigrant visa that expired, then you can apply for a visa renewal. This means that you can get the same type of visa again. In some cases, you will be able to renew your visa without even entering an interview at the US Embassy at all. This article will detail how you can apply for a US visa renewal in the Philippines.

Do I Qualify for US Visa Renewal in the Philippines?

To apply for a visa renewal as a Philippines citizen, you must make sure you fulfill the following requirements:

• You are applying for the same type of US visa you had in the past. For example, if you had a tourist visa, you have to apply for a renewed tourist visa.
• Your visa has already expired.
• You do not have a recently rejected US visa application.
• You still fulfil the requirements for the type of US visa you wish to renew.
• You are applying for a US visa renewal in the Philippines. You cannot renew a US visa from within the US.

What Documents Do I Need for a Visa Renewal in the Philippines?

When you apply for a visa renewal in the Philippines, you have to submit the same or similar documents as you did when you first applied. This includes:

• Your passport, which has to be valid for at least another six months from the time you plan to leave the US,
• Previous passports which have expired US visas in them.
• Two passport-size pictures, which meet theUS visa photo requirements. They cannot be the same ones you used in your original application.
• The printout of Form DS-160 confirmation page.
• Proof of having paid the US visa fee (the receipt).
• Any other documents based on the US visa you want to renew.

How to Renew US Visa in the Philippines?

To apply for US visa renewal in the Philippines you have to go through these steps:

1. Pay the US visa renewal fee.
2. Complete the application form.
3. Submit the application.

You can also get your US visa renewed from Philippines by using the services of VisaExpress.

Pay the US Visa Renewal Fee

Before you book an appointment for US visa renewal in the Philippines, you have to pay the US visa fee for the type of visa you want to renew. You can pay the visa fee through cash at a bank or through an online payment.

Paying by cash at bank

If you pay the US visa fee by cash in a bank in the Philippines, you have to print the receipt (you can find it online at the Visa Information Service for the Philippines) and present it at a bank for payment. Save the payment slip/receipt for later.

Paying online

If you pay your Philippines visa online, you can do so through either Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) or BancNet.

The website of the US Embassy’s Visa Information Service for the Philippines offers information regarding the fee you have to pay for the type of visa you need as well as the slips you have to print to pay the visa fee (here).

Complete the US Visa Application Form

When you apply for a new US nonimmigrant visa or for a nonimmigrant visa renewal, you have to complete a visa application form known as the Form DS-160. This form is completed online. There are two ways you can complete the DS-160 US visa application form:

• Through the US Department of State Consular Electronic Application Center website.
• Through a third-party company, such as VisaExpress. Companies like Travel Assist are helpful for visa applications since they are experienced in dealing with Embassies and are familiar with the visa application process, which can be confusing for most of us. They know the documents you have to submit and will be available to answer any of your questions and clear confusion.

When you complete the DS-160 form, you should have the following information or documents nearby:

• Your passport.
• Your travel itinerary (if you have already booked your trip).
• The dates of your last five trips in the US. You may also need to submit your entire international travel history in the past 5 years.
• For students and exchange visitors: Your SEVIS ID.
• For petition-based temporary workers: Copy of your I-129.
• For other temporary workers: Information about your employer, such as the address.

Submit the US Visa Renewal Application

You have to submit the US visa renewal application at the US Embassy in Manila, Philippines:

US Embassy in the Philippines

1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila, Philippines 1000

Phone: (632) 301-2000

Fax: (632) 301-2017

Before you submit the application, however, you have to book an appointment. You can only book the appointment after you have paid the visa fee because you need the receipt number. You can book the appointment in one of the following ways:

• By calling the US Embassy call centre, which is usually open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (+632) 854-882-23 and (+632) 779-289-88
• Online, through the US Embassy’s Visa Information Service for the Philippines website.

Once you submit the US visa renewal application, you have to appear on the scheduled day and enter a visa interview.

US Visa Renewal in the Philippines – No Interview

If you fulfil the following requirements, you may be able to submit the US visa renewal application without entering an interview at all:

• The visa you want to renew is a US Business Visa (B1) or a US Tourist Visa (B2).
• The visa was issued after July 1, 2007.
• Your prior visa was valid for at least five years.
• You have the passport with the B1/B2 visa stamped.
• Your prior B1/B2 visa expired in the last 12 months
• Your most recent visa was issued after your 14th birthday
• Your previous visa does not say “Clearance Received” or “Travel with Employer”
• You do not need to change the name, birth date, or gender on your last B1/B2 visa.
• The last B1/B2 visa application you made was approved.

If you are eligible to submit the US visa renewal application without entering the interview (US Visa Renewal Interview Waiver), you can simply mail the documents to the US Embassy in Manila by dropping them off at a 2GO courier office location in the Philippines.

If you mail the documents but the US Embassy still considers that you have to enter the interview, they will mail you back your documents and you have to make an appointment and go there in person either way.

If you are not eligible for the US visa interview waiver, you must book an appointment, submit the documents in person and attend the interview, as per the normal procedure.

How Long Does US Visa Renewal in the Philippines Take?

The processing time for a visa renewal in the Philippines depends on whether you are eligible for the visa interview waiver or not. If you are eligible, then you will learn whether your visa was renewed within 10 working days.

If you have to appear at the Embassy for an interview, then it may take longer, since they also have to check your eligibility for the visa and your previous travel history.

How Long Will the Visa Renewal Be Valid?

After you have renewed your US visa in the Philippines, it will be valid for a similar duration that your previous visa was. However, the duration can change slightly. Ultimately, it is up to the US Embassy staff to decide for how long they will issue your visa for.

What If My Us Visa Renewal Was Denied?

If you applied for a US visa renewal in the Philippines and it was denied, that means that the Embassy staff felt like you no longer meet the requirements for the type of visa you want to renew. In this case, you can check why the application was denied, and you will have to apply again in the future. This time around, you may have to apply for a new US visa, not for a visa renewal.